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Norbert Hanel:Mining and Apiculture - An Occupation Inscription from the Area around Córdoba (Spain)

When reviewing the mining regulations of Vipasca or the occupation inscription of Wallerfangen/Saar near one of the Roman azurite mines, reference is often made to another occupation inscription found in Spain. The Latin inscription on an ancient lead tablet has been mentioned since the 18th century. It contains interesting information about the occupation (occupatio) of a place in the hinterland of today's Córdoba (Andalusia). The metal object mentioned can currently not be located: it has been missing since the second half of the 19th century. It is said to have been found in the mountains in the north of Colonia Patricia Corduba, the capital of the Roman Province of Baetica, but we do not know where exactly in the Sierra Morena it was found.

According to Dieter Flach, the occupation inscription on the lead tablet refers to the entrance to a mine: if that were the case, the location of the ore mine would have to be expressed in the genitivus locativus case (i.e. mine near beehive). But a connection with mining is not expressly mentioned on the tablet. It probably rather refers to a parcel of land with a beehive on it as far as we know today. But the procedure for occupation of a parcel of land seems to have been similar to that for occupation of a mining claim.